Brian308gts

Hello All,

I recently took my 1992 6 Speed Convertible in for a service with a very knowledgeable Corvette guy (mechanic who also owns a showroom of gorgeous 60's, 70's, and late model Vettes) and he called me in to show me how the Banski adjustable rear suspension on my car is locked in place, and does snot allow any movement between the left and right wheels up and down basically removing my independent rear suspension. The car also has Koni Coil Overs, and he has been recommended that I replace this system with a stock C4 leaf spring and trailing arms.

Does anyone know if this is how this system should work, and can it be adjusted to allow the independent suspension to work again?

I thank you for any advice...

C409

...... This doesn't sound right ... pics please ... if there are two separate coil-over shocks then there is independent suspension ... was your mechanic drooling profusely while he 'splained all this to you ? .....

shakedown067

I don't see anyway the Banski kit could do that. I'm calling BS on that one.

Van Steel equivalent pieces to the Banski kit.

bolowbc

I have the Banski rear end on mine.

If he is suggesting you convert FROM coil-overs back to stock, sounds like he just wants your money. A lot of time, effort and money was probably taken to put on coil-overs in the first place.

Not only that, the Banski kit doesn't prevent any movement by itself. Even if it was hitting some components of the coil-over suspension, that would have nothing to do with "removing" suspension independence. Sounds like a hack. Take your business elsewhere. RUN AWAY.

Tom400CFI

LOL!!!

I agree. When the car is on the ground, can you "bounce" the rear by pushing down on it?

c4cruiser

with everyone else. The Banski suspension works very well and the design improves suspension performance, especially with coil-overs.

Sounds like your "mechanic" either doesn't understand how the Banski components work, or he wants you to spend your money at his place to re-install factory stuff that won't work as well.

TommyFox

No. Do not return for heaven's sake.

armysnipe

How did he show you the suspension is locked? Up and down movement will be controlled by the coil overs. The trailing arms will move up and down, but if the adjustment is out of wack you may have to adjust them again. The problem is they're set to the same length as the stock ones. Maybe your hardware is too tight. As far as the coilovers If they're adjustable maybe they are set incorrectly. You may also have very stiff springs. If you put a jack under the coil over and jack it up you should get movement. Are your shocks in the straight up and down position? Something sounds like it's installed wrong. If you need torque specs for the trailing arms let me know. Do you have the install instructions from Banski? Your mechanic should look at the Banski and Koni installation instructions. If you post pics we should be able to help you. So your mechanic is either unable to figure out what he's doing or he wants your suspension pieces as they're not cheap.

armysnipe

Just to clarify when i said "jack under the shock" I meant the knuckle.

BrianCunningham

Coilovers and rod end suspensions work, I'm proof

I did have clearance issue, we meant I needed to remove the collars that the Banksi System uses.






I also had to modify my coilover mounts

Brian308gts

You must be a very intelligent person indeed!

aboatguy

Brian308gts

Yes i can. The problem is there seems to be no independent up and down movement side to side. The whole unit was locked into a solid axel so to speak. I contacted Banski and they are going to work with me to have it set up correctly. I thank you all for the positive advice.

Brian308gts

[QUOTE=Brian308gts;1583545361]Yes i can. The problem is there seems to be no independent up and down movement side to side. The whole unit was locked into a solid axel so to speak. I contacted Banski and they are going to work with me to have it set up correctly. I thank you all for the positive advice.[/QUOTE

Also. the suspension was installed incorrectly from the beginning as the right rear wheel hub was rubbing against the expensive koni coil over shock and wore a hole through it which was apparently there before I bought the car. The shock was rendered useless as all the oil was drained out of it. It will all be fixed and I appreciate reading all the good things you had to say about the suspension system itself as I wasn't sure at first. I have no intention of removing it.

Thanks again!

shakedown067

Ah, so you had clearance issues like Brian had. Well, that makes more sense.

TommyFox

[QUOTE=Brian308gts;1583545482]Well we stand corrected. I would love to see pics of this. Did you notice that your car rode and handled like a covered wagon?

Tom400CFI

Yeah man...that still doesn't make any sense. The only linkage between the L&R sides of the suspension is the sway bar.

The pieces hitting each other could limit movement, but that would occur when bouncing the car...that issue wouldn't "care" what the other side of the suspension was doing.

I agree w/the others. Pictures please....

JrRifleCoach

Thats a $2500 coil over kit you've got there.
I'll bet he'd like to "keep" the parts when he's finished.

Personally, I'd find another mechanic.

shakedown067

If the trailing arms locked onto the coilovers, it wouldn't allow the trailing arms to move up and down like normal allowing FULL independent suspension. It would basically lock it in place. Well, it would only allow the movement the coils would allow...very little. It would still allow up and down of the coils so it probably wouldn't ride all that different, but it'd handle "more" like a solid axle car.

Tom400CFI

How can that be? If the trailing arms interfering w/the springs (or ANY parts) "locked it in place", then how would it have symmetrical bounce/rebound....but NOT roll/lean/IRS?? Doesn't make sense to me. If it's bound b/c of mechanical interference, then it's going to limit suspension travel period -not just in an asymmetric way. And certainly, bouncing the car in such a case would create noise, wouldn't it?

Again, the ONLY linkage between the L&R is that sway bar. Otherwise, one side of the car has ""no idea" what the other side is doing, nor does it "care".